Job Discussion Forums

[babur]

Don't even think about it

[nomad soul]

Don't assume everyone is interested in going to Bahrain every weekend, if at all.

[Siobhan 22]

In an email I got from a teacher who worked at Al Quwayiyah in the early stages, there was a run to Bahrain by someone with passports of those teachers on business visas - I took it to mean that a rep. of the school did the monthly run with other teachers' passports. Is this feasible?

Whether this is feasible, or I have misunderstood, I don't know. I know that those at BAE/Dhahran via Lang Sols dreaded the long queues at the road bridge to Bahrain at the end of each month - adding 6+ hours there and back again from Al Quwayiyah would make the whole process inexorably burdensome.


On a wider point 4 recruiters seem to be recruiting for Interserve 'CoE' positions ay Al Khobar, Jazan and Al Quwayiyah

JDI agency - interviews in UK - at JDI Energy offices.

InAdvance, similar, interviews in UK - at JDI offices.

HireProLLC - US recruiter - UK interviews but Skype possible for non-residents.

M2R Education - UK recruiter - UK interviews plus Skype for non-residents.

The first two have informed me personally only about interviews in UK.
How can 2 UK recruiters not offer Skype but one does.

Either shows lack of joined up thinking or the general cluelessness of recruiting agencies.


BTW, anyone wanting videos/pics/ etc of the Al Quwayiyah male college setup can find it here. Quite illuminating (don't let the Christian gospel music used as a soundtrack put you off).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vTVeMWEuc4&t=602s

[Shookran]

Have you considered meditation? You seem to be going into this with a hell of a lot of negativity.

In answer to your question about Skype interviews not being offered by some recruiters, I think it's worth entertaining the idea that recruiters can conduct their recruitment process in whichever way they see fit. In any case the agents/agencies you mentioned are probably not the recruiters and they are told how the recruitment process is going to be conducted by the actual recruiters. The uni or college will be interviewing, not the agents. The role of agents, as far as I can gather, is as 'finder of talent.' You can be sure that if they say that Skype interviews will not be conducted it is because they have been instructed by the hiring uni or college. The ones that come from Saudi come to do the face-to-face interviews. They cannot do video Skype interviews from Saudi because video calls such as Skype and Facetime are banned there. Having said that I did recently do a Skype interview with an employer in Saudi; it was one-way video, they couold see me but their camera was off, so not sure what to think about that - maybe they were using a VPN but decided to keep their camera off. Skype audio-only calls are a common way of doing interviews.

I know that some agencies are the recruiters, but I am pretty sure about the names you mentioned being only 'finders.'

I mean well, and I just hope you reign in all that negativity.
Peace and best of luck in your searches!

[Siobhan 22]

I wasn't aware that my post projected 'negativity' and was that was not my intent, inadvertent or otherwise.

I am fully aware that the recruiters mentioned are 'finders' and not the contractor/institution.

My point was that as they are 'finders' for the same organization, namely Interserve, it seemed strange that the prospect of a Skype interview depended on whether you choose JDI or InAdvance as the UK recruiter or M2R as the recruiter. I wouldn't expect uniformitym but a degree of consistency over this one factor.

I've taken the option of sending my CV to two of them as being in Europe, I wish to avoid the expense of a trip and 2 nights' accom. for a speculative interview.

[Shookran]

If I hadn't seen your post I might have applied for the same role through two companies. I have already applied through one of the ones you mentioned but didn't know the final recruiter is Interserve, and this morning I saw an ad (the same Interserve role), just googling around and was going to apply. I've heard recruiters say that they don't like people applying through more than one agent. You say you're sending your CV to two agencies for the same job. Hmmm, so the recruiter, Interserve, sees your CV twice from two different agents. Is that wise? I'm not entirely sure right now. But it does annoy me that here we are going through not one or two but three people to get to the job! for example (1) M2R, (2) JDI, (3) Interserve, which is the education arm of a construction company. Last time I went this route (last summer), the first contact was an agent in the UK, who detailed a fantastic package, then it went to another agency, and then I was sent a contract offer from the university which bore little resemblence to the offer originally described by the first agent! I rejected it, but it was before Sterling devalued and today the offer would have been good, so regretting it a bit. But the point has been made about going through so many hoops. Direct hire is always best but not always possible as so many unis and colleges now don't do direct hire.

[Shookran]

Thought I'd add this as it would be of interest to Brits. The Pound Sterling = £ has devalued recently, can't remember why, was it because of Brexit? Anyway, for British people applying for jobs in Saudi always ask how much the monthly remuneration is in Saudi Riyals (SAR) not Dollars. Today we get more Pound Sterling for the Riyals; a few examples:
11,000 SAR = £2,279
13,000 SAR = £2,694
16,000 SAR = £3,316

[Siobhan 22]

Shookran, I have sent you a PM.

[Shookran]

Thanks .. reading, good to hear from you again

[Siobhan 22]

For those following this thread in general.

Interserve have three sets of colleges - Al Khobar, Al Quwayiyah and Jazan.

JDI put me forward only for Al Quwayiyah (physical interview in London necessary)

InAdvance put me forward for all THREE locations (physical interview in London necessary)

M2R - no reply but a Skype interview for non-UK residents possible.

Hence, the 'double application' as I am in mainland Europe/

[babur]